German Patent Application No. DE 103 00 593 A1 describes a method and a device for operating an internal combustion engine in which the intake manifold pressure of the internal combustion engine is monitored in such a way that in at least one operating state of the internal combustion engine when the exhaust gas recirculation is activated, a first intake manifold pressure in a first position of at least one control element in the exhaust tract and a second intake manifold pressure in a second position of the at least one control element in the exhaust tract are ascertained. The function of the at least one control element in the exhaust tract is monitored as a function of a difference between the first and the second intake manifold pressure.